


The Choice

by oliviasdreamscape



Category: Fringe RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 05:27:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/618601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oliviasdreamscape/pseuds/oliviasdreamscape
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all begins at the Fringe 100 Episodes/Wrap-Up party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A tan stiletto hit the pavement as Anna Torv stepped out of her car to attend the Fringe 100 Episodes/Wrap-up party. She was wearing a skintight black dress with eccentric dangly metal earrings, and had even curled her hair and put on a little more makeup than usual. She’d also painted her nails blood red for a little bit of spice, wanting to look her very best for all of the photos that would undoubtedly be taken. And also for Josh Jackson. It was safe to say that she both felt and looked great tonight.

The second she arrived on the red carpet, she was bombarded by flashing lights and people yelling her name. Ah, the joys of being a celebrity. Politely, she stopped for a few interviews and posed for some pictures while making her way to her Fringe family. Finding John Noble first, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. This man was like the father she’d never had.

“Hey there, Annie. You look beautiful tonight,” John assured. Anna modestly thanked him and turned to pose for more pictures.

“Have you seen Josh yet tonight?” She asked him.

“Nope, I haven’t. Not surprised though. My boy is the king of being fashionably late.”

That was true. Josh always had to make an entrance. Anna just hoped he’d be here soon—she’d been waiting for this night for weeks. Tonight she was finally going to have some alone time with Josh without his girlfriend, Diane Kruger.

Several months ago, they had gone out for drinks after filming like they usually did. Only this time, one thing had led to another and they’d ended up in Anna’s bed. Their lovemaking had been so mind-blowingly incredible that neither could ever bring themselves to regret it. Ever since that night their feelings for each other had only gotten stronger. Unfortunately, both of them had kept it all bottled up inside, never confessing what they knew was true: They were completely, 100 %, head over heels in love. Yet, neither of them knew for certain how the other truly felt.

The only thing keeping Anna from confessing her feelings to Josh was Diane. Her and Josh had been dating for 6 years, and always looked so happy together. She definitely didn’t want to be seen as a home wrecker. But as the end of filming got closer, she knew that she couldn’t go back to Australia without telling Josh how much she loved him, no matter what crude title was plastered on her face in the headlines.

Dismally, Diane had been present at every single day of filming this season, and was planning on staying until the very last day. Tonight could very well be the last chance Anna had at telling Josh how she felt about him without Diane breathing down her neck. She had never liked Anna, always seeing her as a threat to her and Josh’s relationship. But tonight, Anna was a threat. She needed Josh to make a choice—her or Diane.

Eventually, Anna was united with her entire Fringe cast— Well, almost. Lance Reddick was filming a movie and couldn’t make it, and Josh was still missing.

About ten minutes later, she saw Josh’s car pull up to the event. Her heart leaped as she saw him step out, then fell with a hard smack to the ground when she laid eyes on Diane Kruger. What was she doing here? This was supposed to be for the Fringe cast and crew only. Painfully, she realized that it was highly unlikely she was going to have alone time with Josh, and probably wouldn’t even be able to speak to him without Diane scrutinizing her every move.

As Josh arrived on the red carpet, Diane stayed amongst the crowd—her eyes meeting Anna’s. They had that familiar twinkle, almost as if to say “he’s mine and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Anna just wanted to go home and cry.

She tried her best to look happy in the rest of the pictures, but just couldn’t bring herself to do it for very long. Her heart was still on the ground, being trampled flatter and flatter with each passerby. Anna was going to leave for Australia in only 2 short weeks and would never get to tell Josh how she felt. She would never get to know if he would choose her over Diane.

Abruptly, one of the photographers motioned for Josh and Anna to get together for a picture. When Josh’s eyes met hers, he saw a deep disappointment and sadness embedded in them. His heart broke for her, wishing he knew what was causing her sadness. He wanted so badly to just hold her in his arms and take all of her pain away. However, he knew that she didn’t feel the same way as he did about her. She saw him as a friend that she’d had an accidental one-night stand with and nothing else. Besides, Diane would probably wring his neck. She knew that Josh had strong feelings for Anna, despite Anna’s feelings for him. She also had it in her head that Anna was actually in love with him too, and never let him have any alone time with her. He missed how they used to go out for drinks, coffee, or lunch. And still every time he looked at her, he remembered how her beautiful nude body felt against his as he made love to her. He had dreamt about her nearly every night since their encounter, only to wake up to the harsh reality that she wasn’t his.

As they moved closer, Josh began to put his arm around her waist, only to be stopped by Diane’s death glare. Their only picture together for the entire night, and Anna wouldn’t even get to feel his touch. She needed a drink. Leaving the red carpet and walking into the party area, she headed straight for the alcohol. When she had the cocktail in her hand, she went to find her seat. She found her nametag at a table along with Jasika Nicole, Blair Brown, Joel Wyman, and a couple casting directors. Pulling out a chair, she sat down at the empty table and took in her surroundings. It really was a beautiful party—equipped with colorful lights and white tulips. This was supposed to be a celebration of one of the most wonderful experiences of her life, and her heart ached too badly to even enjoy it.

Anna watched quietly from her seat as people began to wander in. Taking a deep breath, she put on her big-girl panties and stood up to go be social. She had invested too much time and effort into this show not to enjoy it. Trying her best to put Josh in the back of her mind, Anna plastered on a smile and mingled with her friends and colleagues.

After about an hour of small talk and chatter, Anna decided she could use another cocktail. Just as the bartender handed her the drink, she felt a hand at the small of her back. She jumped with a startle, nearly spilling her drink.

“Hey it’s just me,” she heard Josh say in that naturally husky, sultry voice. “Sorry I caught you off guard.” Anna turned around to face him, looking around for Diane. Josh knew exactly what she was looking for. Diane had always made her uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry, she’s in the bathroom.” Releasing the breath she hadn’t even known she’d been holding, she gave him a half-smile.

“Hi,” she said, sounding a little sadder than she’d intended. Josh’s eyes turned dark as the deep sea, flooding with sorrow. Anna wished she knew what was bothering him. She wanted so badly to comfort him and see those incredible eyes full of joy and contentment.

“Enjoying the party?” Josh asked. God did she look beautiful.

“It’s okay. Josh I… I need to talk to you” Anna sputtered, knowing that this might be her only chance to tell him how she felt. “I—I…” she began, but it was too late. Diane emerged from the bathroom, scanning the room for Josh. He bent his knees to try and shrink himself out of her view.

“Anna, she’s going to see me any second. It’s alright, just tell me.” Then his eyes met with Diane’s—and he knew he was in trouble. He looked longingly at Anna one more time, and then walked away. His heart hurt with each step he took, taking him farther away from her.

She had missed her chance. She’d had one chance to do this, and she’d blown it. Why couldn’t she have just spit it out? Silently swearing to herself, Anna made her way back to her table and sat next to Jasika.

“Did you and Josh get in a few words?” Jasika whispered in her ear. Jasika was the only person Anna had ever told about having sex with Josh. She was also the only person that knew Anna was deeply in love with him.

“A few, yes. There was a lot more that needed to be said, but there’s nothing that can be done about it now.”

“I’m sorry, Anna. I wish you could see from my point of view. The way he looks at you— there is no doubt in my mind that he loves you just as much as you love him. You guys belong together.”

Anna smiled, but was filled with grief. That’s exactly what I was trying to say to him, she thought.

As everyone took their seats, numerous directors and producers gave speeches, some making everyone laugh, some making everyone cry. Then, the cast was called up for a round of applause, and of course, more photos. Anna was having a hard time keeping up her façade that everything was going great. Little did she know that Josh was having the exact same problem.

As the cast was on the stage receiving their accolades, someone brought out a huge Fringe cake that looked fantastic. Each one of the cast members got to cut a piece of it, Joshua taking the biggest piece, of course. It was chocolate, which was his absolute favorite. She couldn’t help but smile at him as he began to stuff the cake in his mouth. Then his eyes met hers, and their gazes locked a little longer than necessary. Diane seemed to sense their want for each other without even being near. The second Josh sat down at his table, Diane placed a hard kiss on his lips. She could’ve sworn she saw Diane deridingly peer at her in the darkness as she kissed the man Anna loved. That was all she could take.

“Excuse me,” Anna apologized, getting up for the table and heading for the bathroom. She was so glad that the room was dark—at least nobody could see her practically stumbling to the bathroom. She didn’t even make it to the door before the tears started to downpour. Locking herself in one of the stalls, she did the best she could to mask the sound of her violent cries. God, how much more pathetic could I get? She thought crossly. All this over a guy who she’d only been with one time, a guy who had a solid relationship with another woman. Who was she kidding? He wouldn’t have picked her anyway. Maybe it’s best that she didn’t get to tell him how she felt. She’d probably just saved herself a load of heartache. Still, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that it was better this way, she couldn’t stop the tears that were streaming incessantly down her face, undoubtedly ruining all of her makeup. She just needed to go home.

Grabbing the compact mirror out of her clutch, she bit her lip and braced herself. Surprisingly, her makeup had stayed intact extremely well. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara, she thought. Besides her tear-streaked cheeks and red eyes, she still looked pretty good. Besides, nobody would say anything to her— they’d think she was crying because this was the wrap-up party. What a perfect night for a meltdown. Standing up and smoothing down her dress, she walked out of the stall and ran smack into someone.

“Oh I’m sor—“ She began. Standing right in front of her was Josh. She was astounded. “Josh, what are you doing in here?”

“I came to see if you were okay. I saw you leave your table and you looked distressed.” So much for thinking nobody saw her.

“Just an emotional night, that’s all. See you on set in the morning.” As she turned to go, tears still gushing, Josh stopped her by her arm.

“You can’t lie to me, Anna. I know you better than anyone. I have a few minutes before Diane gets suspicious that I’m not actually going to the bathroom, so spill.”

She had just spent 10 minutes convincing herself that telling him how she felt about him was a bad idea, and now she is given an opportunity? This really just wasn’t her night.

“Josh, I—I just need to go home. I need to get my head on straight,” She choked through her sobs. He couldn’t stand seeing her like this. The pain and grief in her eyes just shattered his heart into a million pieces. He grabbed her other arm so he had her fully in his grip, not about to let her get away.

“I’m not letting you go anywhere before I know for certain what’s going on. I know what you wanted to say to me earlier was important; I could see it in your eyes. Don’t leave me hanging, Anna. Please.”

Anna looked away from him, gathering her thoughts. She might as well just tell him—there was no way she’d be able to guile him without him knowing. “I’m leaving for Australia in two weeks, Josh.”

His heart shattered further, if that was even possible. She hadn’t told him she was leaving. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because—because there’s still a chance that I might not go back. It all depends on one thing.”

If there was any chance at all that she didn’t have to leave then he’d do his very best to make sure whatever it was happened. He couldn’t lose her. There was no way he’d be able to handle it.

“What exactly is that ‘one thing’?”

Anna took a deep, steadying breath and looked him straight in the eyes. “On if you love as much as I love you,” She whispered. “I want to be with you more than anything in the world.”

Josh was speechless. He’d been in love with her for years. After their impulsive lovemaking he’d suspected that she was in love with him too, but she’d never said anything. After a while he’d just assumed that she wanted to forget about it and move on. She’d broken his heart. But now she was here, admitting she’d been in love with him all along. He didn’t know what to do.

“Anna, why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” He managed to murmur.

“Because of Diane. You guys have been together for so long that I didn’t think I’d even have a chance, even after our wonderful night together,” she cried. “But then filming started to get closer and closer to ending and everything started to become real. I just didn’t want to go back to Australia when there was even a remote possibility that you’d choose me over her. I’d never be able to live with myself not knowing who you would’ve chosen.”

Now he was really put on the spot. This wasn’t just something he could flip a coin over—he loved both Anna and Diane. But whom did he love more? Which of them could he see himself spending the rest of his life with? Most importantly, which of them couldn’t he stand to see hurt when he chose one over the other? As he looked into Anna’s peridot eyes, sparkling with hope, he knew. He’d known all along. Josh pulled her into a secure embrace and brought his lips close to her ear:

“Don’t pack your bags, sweetheart. You’re not getting away from me that easily,” Josh breathed. Anna had to pull away. Was she imagining things, or did he actually just choose her?

“Wait… what?” She asked incredulously.

Josh smiled and brought his hand up to caress her cheek. “I love you, Anna. I always have. Of course I choose you.”

Anna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The man she loved so dearly had just confessed his love for her and chose her over his partner of 6 years. She had to be dreaming—and if she was, she never wanted to be woken up. As if sensing her apprehension, he tilted her chin up and kissed her. It was a soft as a whisper at first, but then deepened in intensity until her head was spinning. Nope, she definitely wasn’t dreaming. Before she knew it Josh had her pinned against the wall, in a passionate feat of bodies, hands, and lips. Anna had to bite her tongue to keep from moaning as he smoothed his way down her breasts. His excitement for her grew harder against her stomach with each passing second. Suddenly, Josh stopped his mind-blowing assault and looked towards the door. When Anna followed his gaze, she saw a woman standing there with cheeks redder than cherries.

“Oh I—umm sorry,” She stammered, running out as if the building was on fire. Josh turned back to Anna with a look that said oh shit.

“We should go back to our tables before anyone else comes in here and catches us,” Josh conceded breathlessly.

“Yes, I agree.” They backed away from each other, much to their disappointment, and did their best to make themselves look perfectly innocent.

“So… what happens now, Josh?” Anna asked. Now wasn’t that just the question of the hour.

Josh bent down and planted one last kiss on her silky red lips. “Just give me a little bit of time to tell Diane. I don’t want to just flat out leave her—she doesn’t deserve that.”

“No, I wouldn’t want you to do that either. God, she is going to hate me even more than she already does.”

“If she does, then she does. Anna, nobody can be blamed for this. We fell in love. It was inevitable.

“She’s going to be heartbroken.” As much as Anna had wanted Josh to choose her, she really hadn’t thought about Diane’s feelings. She felt increasingly guilty.

“Anna, it’ll be okay. She has to know the truth eventually. She’ll be able to handle it, trust me.” Josh caressed her cheek again, pushing their luck even further by being in the bathroom for so long. “I honestly think she knew that this was bound to happen between us. Why else would she have kept me on the short leash? Little did she know that making me stay away from you only made me want you more.”

Anna smiled, wanting so badly to take him home with her. She closed her eyes and nestled her cheek against his hand. “We really need to get back to our seats now, Josh. You go first.”

“Alright,” he said, turning to leave. Taking one last look over his shoulder, he locked his gaze with hers. The look of pure joy in her eyes made him even more certain he was making the right decision. “I still can’t believe that you love me. I spent so long thinking you didn’t.”

“I could say the same thing to you,” She teased. “Now go.”

Giving her one last loving gaze, he headed out of the door. Anna had to lean against the sink to keep from collapsing onto the ground. Did that seriously just happen? Did Josh really just choose her? Had he actually said that he was in love with her? She was definitely going to need more than a few minutes to compose herself. Looking up at herself in the mirror, she saw her face glowing in a way it never had before, despite her tear-stained cheeks and red eyes. An automatic smile began to form across her face as the reality of the past 10 minutes hit her like a brick wall. Josh was hers. She was his. It took all of her strength not to leap and twirl all the way back to her seat. As she pulled out her chair to sit, Jasika looked at her in bewilderment.

“Everything okay? You were gone quite a while,” Jasika questioned.

In the darkness, Anna’s eyes found Josh’s right away. Although she couldn’t see his face, she could tell he was smiling. It was like they had some sort of connection, always attuned to the other’s feelings and actions. She had never felt so close to anyone before—had never loved anyone as much as she loved him.

“Everything is perfect.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Annnnd cut! Alright everyone, 15 minute break!” Yelled J. H. Wyman from his director’s chair. They were in the middle of shooting the series finale of Fringe, and it had been a long couple of days for the entire cast and crew.

Anna headed inside of her trailer to get a snack and a fresh bottle of water. She had been filming since dawn and wouldn’t be getting off until around 6 that night, which was still hours away. Although she was tired, knowing this was the very last episode sent adrenaline through her veins. As she sat down at the plastic table, she looked out her window at her beloved friends whom she’d spent the last five years of her life with. She smiled fondly until her eyes locked on the back of Josh’s head as he talked to John. She felt her heart begin to ache and quickly drew her gaze away from the window.

It had been exactly 12 days since the Fringe 100 episodes/wrap up party where her and Josh had finally confessed their feelings for each other. That night she lied in her bed unable to sleep, so excited Josh was finally hers. But when she got to work the next morning, he would barely look her in the eyes. At first she thought nothing of it; she assumed he had broken up with Diane since she hadn’t shown up on set that day. Anna thought that she’d give him some space for the next couple of days while he went through the initial grieving process. However, it had been almost two weeks and he’d barely said five words to her.

She knew he was hurting—she could see it in his desolate sapphire eyes. She had tried talking to him numerous times in the last few days, but every time she’d get close, she could actually see his body stiffen in defense. The only time she was actually able to be near to him without him clamming up was when they were doing a scene together. Even then she could tell he was a little uncomfortable, even though nobody else noticed. Anna was beginning to wonder if he thought he’d made the wrong decision by choosing her over Diane, which sent painful shivers of fear up her spine.

Unable to resist the temptation, Anna stole a quick glance out the window. She was shocked when her gaze met Josh’s eyes instead of the back of his head. She wanted to look away, but there was something magnetic in his eyes that made her unable to break contact. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Josh abruptly began walking towards her trailer. Oh God, he looked more serious with each step he took. Was he coming to tell her he didn’t want to be with her after all? Anna went still in her seat, anticipating the knock on the door. Every last one of her senses went ablaze—her breathing becoming shallow and rigid. She hadn’t been expecting this in the slightest. Then she heard three light, unmistakable taps, and suddenly, he walked in. She was a little relieved that he hadn’t waited for her to get up and open the door for him because she was completely frozen in place.

“Hey,” Josh greeted hesitantly as he walked over and took a seat across from her. He looked stiff and troubled, which was his usual demeanor lately. He sat on the edge of the chair, his leg moving up and down restlessly. She wouldn’t be surprised if he swiftly stood up and ran out the door without so much as a glance behind him.

Anna opened her mouth to greet him back, but nothing came out. All she could do was stare at this man in front of her, this wonderful man whom she loved so much, despite all of the uncertainty and anxiety he was causing her. He was finally talking to her, and she was speechless. Great.

Josh could see the evident sadness and confusion in her eyes, and it made his heart ache. “Anna, I—I know I haven’t been talking to you very much in the couple of weeks—”

“More like completely avoiding me.” Oh good, her voice wasn’t gone after all.

Anna’s words stung him to the core, knowing that she was absolutely right. He hated that he was causing her pain. “Please, let me explain.”

“Please do. I know you are hurting Josh and I completely understand. I went through this once, too, remember? The least you could do is tell me what’s going through your mind.” In all actuality, Anna was scared out of her wits to hear what was on his mind; especially if it involved him going back to Diane and totally shattering her heart into a million pieces, too small to ever be put back together. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to handle him sidestepping her much longer.

Bravely he reached across the table and took her hand in his. When she didn’t pull away, he took that as a positive sign. “I will explain everything, but not here. Not now. Just—can I come over tonight?”

Anna felt her heart begin to thump loudly in her chest and wondered if Josh could hear it. He looked so grave and it completely unnerved her. She wished he would just spill everything to her right here in her trailer. Now she would have to go hours with her imagination running wild with what he might possibly say.

“Yes, I’d like that,” She responded. As fearful as she was to hear his explanation, she was also trying her very best to be optimistic. He had been so sincere when he’d admitted his love for her in that bathroom—there was no possible way that he’d been lying. Yet, she also knew that a person could love someone and not want to be with them. Clearly the optimism thing wasn’t working out too well. She just didn’t want to get her hopes up only for them to be pushed off the edge of a cliff into the dark, sinister waters below.

Josh smiled and rubbed his thumb along the soft skin on her hand. “Great. I’ll come over at about 8 then?”

“Sure, that’d be fine. I’ll make us some dinner.”

“Sounds wonderful. I should probably head back out. We’ve only got a few minutes left of our break.” Unexpectedly, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I love you, Anna. Don’t forget that.” Then he walked out, the door closing behind him with a concluding bang.

Anna released a breath she hadn’t even known she’d been holding in and leaned her head back against the wall. She felt the onset of a migraine coming on and had the sudden urge to crawl into bed and never get back out. She closed her eyes and replayed her and Josh’s conversation in her mind, which only made her headache worse. His admission of love should’ve reassured her, but all it did was make her more nervous for the night that was to come.

*****

The rest of the day went by extremely slow, but Anna wasn’t surprised. The universe hadn’t exactly been working in her favor lately. By the time six o’clock rolled around, Anna was mentally and emotionally drained. She was relieved that she got the next two days off for some much needed rest and rehabilitation. Now, all she had to do was make dinner and get through the night with Josh. Saying her nerves were a wreck would be putting it lightly.

Anna tried her best to keep calm as the time melted away. She’d quickly whipped up some spaghetti and garlic bread, unable to concentrate on anything more elaborate. Just as she finished setting the table, she heard his signature three light taps on her door. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she walked to the entryway and turned the doorknob. And there he was, all six feet two inches of him, standing before her. He had on his dark gray jacket and faded blue jeans, looking as handsome as ever with his cheeks flushed from the cold and his hair going every which way from the wind. He gave her one of his charming full-toothed smiles, but she could still see the grief in his eyes.

“Hey, smells great,” Josh complimented as he walked past her and into her apartment. He took off his shoes and hung up his jacket, making himself at home. Anna could tell he was doing his best to act relaxed and casual, just as she was doing. Too bad she knew him better than anyone and could see right through his little façade.

“I hope you’re in the mood for spaghetti,” Anna stated as placidly as she could while she walked towards her kitchen, Josh trailing behind. He felt himself becoming aroused by the way her body swayed as she walked. She looked so beautiful in jeans and a tight t-shirt compared to her usual bland Olivia Dunham outfit. It was a rarity when he actually got to see her sexy feminine curves, and it made him long for her nude body against his. Josh began to shake his head, trying to rid the taboo thoughts from his mind.

“Definitely. You know I’m a sucker for anything you cook,” He confessed as he sat down at the table.

Anna smiled and took the seat across from him. They prepared their plates, robotically exchanging small talk as they ate. It made her heart hurt realizing that this was the most they had spoken to each other in almost two weeks. Taking one last bite of noodles, Anna put her fork down and held him in her gaze. They couldn’t put off the elephant in the room any longer.

“Josh, I need to know why you have been so avoidant of me since the party.” Anna felt her eyes getting moist and swallowed back a sob. Her next few words came out as a pained whisper. “Just tell me, have you changed your mind about being with me?”

Josh abruptly dropped his fork on his plate with a loud clank, which made her jump. His forehead crinkled with incredulity. “Anna, honey, no. That’s not it at all.” Standing up from his seat, he took the chair and moved it so he could sit mere inches away from her. She turned to him, relief flooding through her body as he took her hands tightly in his. “I want to be with you. I have never been more certain of anything in my entire life.”

Anna felt the suppressed tears stream down her cheeks, washing away all of the worry and doubt she had been feeling for the last 12 days. “Then what is it?”

Josh squeezed her hands and looked away from her gaze, not wanting her to see through him and into his soul, which she did better than anyone. “My breakup with Diane was—hard. She was completely heartbroken when I told her that I was in love with you, but wasn’t surprised in the slightest. She silently cried the entire time she packed her things and just walked out the door without looking back.”

When tears started to fall down his cheeks, Anna felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. Seeing him in so much pain turned the waterworks on full blast, leaving her vision blurry and her breathing shaky. He held his grip on her hands, but still didn’t look at her. “Our—my apartment feels so empty without her. I mean we were together for six years; I’m not even sure I know how to live alone. I’ve just been having a really hard time dealing with her absence. A lot harder of a time than I imagined I would have.”

Anna took her hands from his grip and cupped his face, bringing it to meet her gaze. “Josh, I am so sincerely sorry both you and Diane have to go through this. I know how hard it is to be with someone for such a long time and then have them out of your life so abruptly. Remember how lost and damaged I was when Mark left? Remember how you were there for me every step of the way? All I want is to be here for you while you go through this. I love you so much Josh, it absolutely kills me to see you hurting so badly,” she sobbed. “Please, please just talk to me. Don’t shut me out.”

Josh stared at her for a long time before standing up and reaching his hand out to help Anna up. Confused, she took it and followed him as he led her to the couch. He pulled her down into his lap and wrapped his arms around her securely, as if he was seeking comfort from her presence. She snuggled in close and waited silently for him to pour out his bottled-up feelings.

“The first night I spent alone wasn’t too bad, since I’m pretty sure I was in shock. But then waking up without her the next morning just made everything so real. I thought it would get better once I saw your face, but it just made it worse.” Josh heard Anna take a sharp breath and pulled her closer. “I’m sorry, Anna. I’m not trying to cause you any pain; you’re the last person on earth I’d want to hurt. I’m just trying to explain the best I can.”

“No, Josh, It’s okay. I want you to be completely honest with me, I can handle it. Just keep going.”

He took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face before he continued.

“Seeing you reminded me of the hurt I caused Diane. For a few days just meeting your gaze made me feel like I was being stabbed by a thousand knives. Since I’m being honest, I will confess that for those first couple of days I had some doubts about leaving Diane.” Suddenly, Josh took her wet face in his rough hands and smiled at her sweetly. “But then, you would smile. You would crinkle your nose the way you do when you laugh. Or do that thing with your mouth when you’re concentrating really hard.” He traced his finger along her full lips. “And I would just know I made the right choice. I’m still grieving, but I don’t get those doubts anymore. Every single day it gets easier. Every single day I get closer to being ready for us to be together for good. Today when I caught your gaze in your trailer, the pain that usually comes when I see your face wasn’t there. But for the first time, I looked at you long enough to see the pain I was causing you in youreyes. I just knew I needed to come talk to you, to explain everything that’s been going on. I’m almost ready, Anna. Please wait for me.”

“Oh Josh, I’ll wait for as long as you need. I don’t want you to feel like you need to hurry through this just for me. I know that it’s going to take a long time to get over her, and I am completely prepared for that. All I wanted was for you to tell me what was going on. I have been so anxious with worry that you were avoiding me because you thought you made the wrong decision.”

“I should’ve told you sooner. I don’t know why I didn’t. I’m just—I’m so sorry.” Josh pulled her into a tight embrace and buried his face in her neck. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, Josh. Everything will be okay.”

Then he cried—he cried for Diane, for Anna, and even for himself. It felt incredibly alleviating, like being underwater for too long and finally coming up for that long awaited inhale of oxygen. Anna rubbed his back tenderly and ran her nose along his cheek, making him feel like he was right where he belonged.

***** 

Josh’s eyes fluttered open, and then immediately closed again. God, did they sting. Slowly, he eased his lids open to narrow slits so he could figure out where he was. Looking down, he saw Anna in his arms fast asleep, and was confused for a few long moments. Then he recalled the events that had happened the night before—or was it still the same night? Looking at the clock on the microwave, he realized he’d only been asleep for a couple hours. Carefully, Josh attempted to loosen her grip on his shirt without waking her, but her eyes shot open.

“Josh?” She murmured groggily. “Where are you going?”

“I need to go home. I didn’t plan on falling asleep. Come on, let me help you to bed.”

Anna allowed him to lead her not-entirely-conscious body to her bed and tuck her in. He caressed her face softly before turning to head out the door. At last her mind woke up enough to realize what was happening, and she grabbed his hand.

“Wait,” She whispered.

“Yeah?” He inquired, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“I’m not going to ask you to stay, because I know that would be crossing the line. But I am going to ask you to kiss me. If you’re ready.”

Josh gave her a crooked smile and leaned in to place his lips on hers. She rested her hand on the side of his cheek as he began to brush his mouth gently against hers. When he pulled away, Anna held in a whimper of dissatisfaction. She wasn’t ready for him to stop kissing her—hell, she wasn’t ready for him to leave. But she was aware that he needed time and space to himself. She had been in the exact same position as him, and knew that being alone and going through some self-actualization was absolutely necessary to move on.

“I love you, Anna. Thank you for letting me explain.”

“I love you, too, Josh. Thanks for explaining.”

Giving her one last kiss, he turned and walked out of her bedroom door. When she heard the front door snap shut, she turned on her side and fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of Josh and the future days when he would finally be hers forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Anna woke from a dreamless sleep to the morning sunlight streaming in through a crack in the curtains. Yawning and stretching out her limbs, she opened her eyes to the white ceiling above her bed. The same white ceiling she'd woken up to for 4 years now.

Sitting up, she grabbed her cell phone from its charger on the nightstand. No new messages. No missed calls. Typical.

She swung her legs off the bed and plodded into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, then sat down on a stool and turned her small kitchen TV to the news, just like she did every morning.

Fringe had ended filming nearly three weeks ago, and since then, Anna hadn't done much of anything besides hang out at her apartment and occasionally go on walks or runs if it wasn't blizzarding. Usually during her breaks she'd go back home to Australia to spend some time with her friends and family, and had actually planned on moving back for a while after shooting the finale.

That was, however, before Josh had confessed his love to her, and she'd agreed to stay in Vancouver.

Nearly a month had passed since then.

She had been so beyond ecstatic that Josh was finally hers, only for him to turn around and avoid her for 12 days, finally admitting that he needed some time to move on from Diane before they officially started seeing each other. She had completely understood, having gone through the same grieving process with her ex-husband.

Only now Anna was getting a little bit anxious.

In 31 days, they'd hung out a total of 3 times. They'd gone out for coffee, had a 20-minute brunch, and went to a movie. Anna didn't even consider their little outings as dates— it felt more like two friends just hanging out. He never even so much as touched her. In fact, he never showed any romantic interest in her at all. They'd just small talk and then go their separate ways.

She knew she shouldn't feel so impatient for him to get over Diane, but in the last few weeks, he seemed happier than he'd ever been. She was glad he was feeling better, but was confused to why he never showed interest in anything more than light chitchat between them. She suspected that as he moved on, he'd start treating her more like a lover and less like a friend. Not the other way around.

She wanted so badly to ask him if he was ready to take the next step in their relationship, but didn't want to make him feel pressured and ruin any progress he was making.

So, Anna waited patiently everyday, going through the motions of her autopilot routine, hoping and praying that he'd show up at her door and sweep her off her feet like some kind of knight in shining armor.

So far the only man who'd shown up at her door was the Chinese-takeout guy.

After drinking two cups of coffee and staring blankly at the TV, Anna decided to hop in the shower to get ready for the day, which she'd most likely spend alone. Like usual.

She turned the water to its hottest temperature and stepped under the scalding stream, letting the steam engulf her in a foggy warmth. Just as she was lathering her long, blonde mane with shampoo, she heard her phone vibrating on the bathroom counter.

Drying off her hands on a washcloth, she stuck her head out of the shower and reached for the phone without looking at the caller ID, assuming it was her mother. She was the only person who ever called anymore.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Anna, hi," Josh chirped on the other end.

She felt a huge smile cross her face. She hadn't talked to him in over a week.

"Joshua. How are you?"

"I'm great. Hey, I know it's early, but I just wanted to see if you had any plans for tonight."

Anna's heart did a backflip. "No, I don't. Why?"

"Well I thought that if you weren't busy I could take you out for dinner to celebrate the New Year. What do you say?"

Today was New Years Eve. Anna had totally spaced it. She felt a little embarrassed blatantly admitting she'd made no plans for that night, exposing her lack of a social life since all of her friends had moved away after filming had wrapped up. But she had to admit that she was glad she had no prior commitments so she could spend time with Josh, even if this was just another casual night out with nothing more than small talk. Simply being with him was ten times better than sitting alone in her apartment watching reruns of "Flight of the Concords" all night long.

"Sure, that sounds nice."

"Great. Pick you up at 7:00?"

"Perfect."

"Alright, I'll see you then. Bye, Anna."

"Bye."

"Hey, wait a sec," Josh piped just as she was about to press the 'end call' button.

"Yeah?"

"You should dress up."

Without another word, Josh closed their connection.

Anna put the phone on the counter and leaned back into the shower, an elated smile plastered on her face.

She was going out to dinner with Josh. Not just any dinner, but a dinner that involved wearing nice clothing. Involuntarily she felt excited, hopeful butterflies begin to rouse in her stomach as she let the water bead down her face.

She knew she shouldn't be getting her hopes up that this was something special, but she couldn't help it. Every time he called her she got her hopes up. But this was different— He'd never taken her out to dinner before, especially not someplace fancy.

The thought that this could quite possibly be the night she'd been waiting for since the first day she'd laid eyes on him made her want to do euphoric cartwheels in the city streets.

Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped her body and hair in a towel and headed into her room. Her alarm clock read 10:16 AM—she had just less than 9 hours to get ready.

Anna entered her walk-in closet and headed to the back where she kept her elegant dresses, running her fingers along the beautiful fabrics. Now she just had to choose which one to wear with which shoes and which clutch. Then she'd have to decide how she was going to do her hair and makeup.

Tonight, she was going to go all out. She just hoped 9 hours would be enough time.

***

8 hours and 32 minutes later, Anna heard Josh's signature three light taps on her door. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Anna opened the door and was more than pleased with Josh's awestruck reaction as he took her in.

Anna had decided to wear her black, skintight halter dress with jewels around the neckline, along with black stilettos. The last time she'd worn this outfit, Josh had nearly fallen out of his seat in a crowd of people craning his neck to stare at her. It was one of her favorite memories.

It was also the night they'd made love for the first time.

For her hair and makeup, she had gone with simplicity. Her golden locks cascaded down her back in soft waves, her cheeks and lips stained a pretty pink. She hated wearing a lot of makeup, and Josh always complimented on how beautiful she was when she didn't wear it.

"Anna….w-wow," He stammered. If there was one thing he was sure of in this world, it was that he'd never laid eyes on anything so beautiful.

Anna felt her cheeks flush and averted her gaze to the floor, biting her lip coyly.

"You clean up pretty well yourself."

Josh was wearing a blue dress shirt under an unbuttoned gray suit jacket with matching pants. He looked abnormally handsome.

"Not half as well as you. Shall we go?"

"Yes, I'm starving."

Anna joined him in the hall and turned to lock her apartment. When she spun back around to face Josh, he was watching her with his arm stuck out like a gentleman from the '20s, waiting for her to take it. She mirrored his adorable crooked smile and readily looped her arm through his.

It was the first time they'd touched since he'd kissed her goodnight a few weeks before.

She never wanted to let go of him.

When they got outside, Anna was surprised at how warm it was, considering the time of year. She was also surprised that Josh had driven his pickup truck, which he usually only drove when he went to the mountains.

She looked up at him questioningly, and he returned with a sly smile, not offering her any explanations. Typical mischievous Joshua.

On the way to the restaurant, Anna's curiosity got the best of her.

"So, where could we possibly be going that requires dressing up?"

"I guess you'll just have to wait and find out."

"Not even a hint?"

"It's on Hamilton Street," He smirked.

"Funny," She sneered. He knew perfectly well that she only knew a handful of street names in the entire city. Maps and directions weren't exactly her thing.

Josh gave a light, breathy laugh and turned a corner, parking next to a 3-hour meter. Getting out of the truck, he put some money in the meter and then walked over to Anna's door to open it for her.

"Who said chivalry was dead?" Anna teased as she took his hand and stepped down from the truck.

"I have no idea. Chivalry is my middle name."

"Whatever you say Mr. Jackson," She giggled, happily looping her arm through his once again.

As they walked down the nearly empty sidewalk, Anna stole a quick glance at Josh. Though it was dark, the glowing streetlights illuminated his face just enough that she could see what looked like the hint of an eager grin toying at the corners of his mouth.

Suddenly, Josh stopped in front of a place with bright blue lights emanating from the windows. Looking up, Anna's mouth dropped as she read the name of the restaurant.

"Blue Water Café? Are you serious?"

This was the finest, most prestigious restaurant in all of Vancouver. It was nearly impossible to get in.

"I wanted to take you somewhere nice."

He had outdone nice.

Putting his hand on the small of her back, he led her into the building where a hostess promptly greeted them.

"Welcome to Blue Water Café. Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, under 'Jackson,'" Josh replied.

"Here you are, Mr. Jackson," She stated after finding his name on the long list of reservations. "Right this way."

The hostess led them to a small table in the corner, secluded from the rest of the public and next to a large window that overlooked the city. Josh pulled out a chair for Anna and scooted her in, then took a seat across from her.

"Your waiter will be right with you," The hostess smiled, turning and walking back to greet more customers.

Anna was pretty sure her jaw had been dragging on the floor since the second she'd walked into this place. Never in her life had she been anywhere so luxurious.

"Josh, I don't even know what to say. This place is… I have no words."

He smiled at her warmly, the look of excitement she'd seen on his face earlier now glimmering in his crystal blue eyes.

"I thought it was about time I took you on a proper date."

Anna stared at him while her slight smile slowly made its way to a full-toothed beam. Was she imagining things, or had he just said _date_?

Before she could respond, the waiter appeared and asked for their drink orders. Josh ordered tonic water with lime since he was driving, but Anna didn't hesitate to get a Resolution Martini to celebrate the New Year.

Or more truthfully to celebrate her first real date with Josh.

She just hoped they'd talk about more than the weather.

"So Joshua, how did you manage to get into this place on such short notice?" She asked.

"It wasn't on short notice," He simpered.

"But you just asked me to dinner today. When did you make reservations?"

"About a month ago," He stated casually, taking a sip of his drink.

Wait. A imonth/I ago? He was just full of surprises tonight. She hoped there'd be more.

"You've been planning this for a month? What if I'd already made plans when you asked?"

"Well, thank goodness you hadn't," He smiled, gazing at her like she was some kind of Greek goddess. It'd been so long since he'd looked at her like that—she just hoped she wasn't dreaming all of this.

"Thank goodness I hadn't," She breathed headily, taking a taste of her Martini.

When the waiter came and asked for their food orders, Josh insisted that she get anything she wanted. They both ended up ordering the famous smoked sockeye salmon terrine, which made Anna's mouth water just thinking about it.

After the waiter left, Anna watched Josh gaze out the window for a few minutes, clearly deep in thought. She loved how handsome and sophisticated he looked with his lips curled up in a small smile and his eyes sparkling with contentment. She hated to break him from his reverie, but just had to know what was going through his mind.

"What are you thinking about?" She inquired.

Josh blinked a couple of times and turned to stare at her, an intense emotion swirling through his cobalt eyes, making them resemble a dark ocean just before a storm. She'd never seen anything so beautifully mysterious.

"The future," He replied ambiguously.

"What about the future?" She incited, sliding her hand towards the middle of the table, hoping he'd get the hint.

Josh smiled and placed his hand on hers, answering her question with his touch.

He was thinking of their future together.

It took all of Anna's reserve not to do a happy dance around the restaurant.

For 2 more hours, they ate and talked and laughed about everything under the moon. Josh was a completely different person compared to the man she'd spent the last 4 weeks with. He deliberately flirted with her, held her hand, affectionately locked his gaze with hers, and actually started real conversations.

Anna was pretty sure she'd had a huge, cheesy grin on her face the entire night, so incredibly overjoyed that he was finally treating her like the woman he loved.

But as happy as she felt, she couldn't help but wonder what had brought his behavior on so suddenly.

Not that she was complaining in any way, whatsoever.

When the waiter brought them the check, Anna felt a wave of disappointment at the realization that this perfect night was about to end. She wished she could rewind it back to the beginning and relive it over and over again.

As they walked down the sidewalk in the peacefully quiet city night, Anna took Josh's hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I had such a wonderful time tonight, Joshua. I wish it never had to end."

"Well it looks like you're in luck since the night's not over yet. We've still got 3 more hours until midnight. I've got one more thing in store for us."

Anna looked up at him and smiled like a little girl who'd just gotten a pony for Christmas.

This night just kept getting better and better.

Josh helped Anna into the truck, and then ran around to the driver's side and hopped in. He seemed more excited than her, which she didn't think was possible.

"Will you please tell me where we're going?" She prompted as they drove, not able to contain her anticipation.

"Nope."

"Please?" She begged, gazing at him with her best puppy-dog eyes.

"Good try, Miss Torv. I'm not falling for that one. You'll just have to wait and see."

"Fine," Anna surrendered, turning to stare out the window in a mock pout.

Josh laughed and took her hand once again.

They drove for about 20 minutes longer until they reached a large area with numerous cars facing a giant screen. Anna took in a sharp breath and squeezed Josh's hand.

"The drive-in? I've wanted to do this since I was 7 when I watched _Grease_ for the first time! I didn't even know Vancouver had one of these."

"I remember you telling me this was something you've always wanted to do," Josh stated as he pulled into a parking space, leaving a good distance between them and the other cars. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Anna jumped out of the truck and followed Josh to the back. When he removed the tarp covering the bed, she saw a blow-up mattress and an abundance of pillows and blankets.

"I'd planned on just sitting in my car and watching the movie, but since it's so nice out tonight, I thought this would be a lot more comfortable."

So this was why he'd driven the truck.

Without another word, Josh scooped her up easily in his arms and set her in the back, climbing in right after.

"This is perfect," She grinned as he covered them up with a light blanket. They were both leaned against the back windows of the truck with a great view of the screen, their fingers intertwining as they waited for the film to start.

"So, what movie is playing?" She asked.

"When Harry Met Sally," He smiled.

Anna laughed. "How appropriate."

"I thought so, too."

During the first hour of the movie they sat inches away from each other simply holding hands, Josh tracing arbitrary patterns along her skin. But as the film went on, Anna wound up cuddled flush against his body, his arm wrapped around her and rubbing her back.

When the ending of the movie came, Anna almost laughed out loud at the irony. Here were two best friends who had fallen in love, finally confessing it to each other on New Years Eve and ultimately living happily ever after. This had to be a sign. Some things were just too accurate to be coincidence.

She simply couldn't resist him any longer.

Slowly, she began to trail light kisses along his neck.

"Anna," Josh intoned, stopping her and taking her face in his hands.

"Joshua I don't want to pressure you into this but… I don't think I can hold back my feelings for you any longer," She whispered.

"I don't want you to. That's not why I stopped you."

"Then what is it?"

Josh took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something."

Anna looked at him quizzically. "What?"

"I have been ready to be with you for weeks."

 _Weeks?_ She had been going crazy waiting for him to be ready for a relationship, and he'd been ready the entire time?

"Joshua, why didn't you say anything?"

"I know it sounds silly, but I wanted to wait until tonight to tell you. The start of the New Year. A fresh beginning. I'm sorry that I made you wait longer than necessary, and believe me it wasn't easy for me either. Whenever we spent time together I had to use every ounce of self-control I had to keep my hands off of you, because I knew that if I touched you, I wouldn't be able to stop. I just wanted so badly for this to be special—to leave our past behind us and start brand new. This is going to be our year, Anna. The first page of our story."

Anna felt tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as she stared at this perfect man before her, who was now, after years of wanting and wishing and waiting, finally hers.

In the distance, they heard someone shout "Happy New Year!"

Then Josh's lips were on hers, hungry and passionate, as his hands gripped the back of her head and fisted in her hair. Anna sobbed into his mouth and wrapped around her arms around his neck so there was no possible way he could get away from her.

They continued their fervent kissing for a few more minutes until they both needed to come up for air. Anna rested her forehead against his, bringing her hands to caress his cheeks. Languidly, she traced her fingers down his sides until she reached the hem of his shirt, slipping her hands underneath to feel his muscular stomach.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming," She muttered breathlessly.

"You're not dreaming."

Soon his lips found hers again, and Anna pulled him down to lie on top of her. When she tried to tug off his shirt, he caught her hand in his.

"Wait. Not here."

"Joshua, don't make me wait any longer."

He planted a quick kiss on her already swollen lips and sat up.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but I don't want to do this in the back of a truck amidst a crowd of people. We can make it to your place in less than half an hour."

"Then why are we still sitting here?"

Joshua laughed and took her into his arms, jumping off the side of the truck and setting her down on her feet. Anna got into the vehicle as Joshua hurried to put the tarp back over the bed.

As they drove, Anna practically sat on his lap the entire way to her apartment, kissing him all over his face and neck. It was a miracle he found his way to her building without crashing.

They barely made it inside of her home before clothing was ripped off and thrown every which way, until they were left in nothing but the skin they were born in. Picking her up, Josh tossed her onto the bed and leaned overtop of her, enticing a fit of giggles from her as he left sloppy kisses all over her face.

"Do you know how much I love you?" He murmured against her lips.

"Why don't you remind me?"

"More than anything in the entire universe, Anna Torv. I would give up my life for you without second thought. I cannot believe that you are mine. I don't deserve you, especially after everything I've put you through this last month."

Anna watched his eyes darken with remorse, and reached up to pull him into a tight embrace.

"You did nothing wrong," She muttered in his ear. "This night was perfect, Joshua. It was so worth the wait."

Josh pulled away to leave a deep, loving kiss on her lips.

"I promise that I will do everything in my power to make you happy and to show you how much I love you everyday for the rest of our lives."

"I don't doubt it for a second," Anna sighed, pulling him down on top of her and snaking her tongue between his lips.

Josh gave a groan of satisfaction as he explored her mouth, claiming her as his own as he smoothed his hands over every curve and hollow of her body.

Breaking their kiss, he trailed his lips down, leaving a hot, wet trail in his path until he reached her breast. Anna gasped and arched up as he took her hardened nipple into his mouth and swirled his tongue around the pebbled flesh.

Just when she felt like she couldn't take it anymore, he continued his trail and took her other nipple into his mouth. Josh enjoyed the pleasured sounds he was inducing from her with every brush of his tongue and lips. Soon his mouth was pressed against hers once again, his hand leisurely moving down her body until he was cupping her core.

Slipping a finger inside of her, he felt her hips buck against him, begging for more. He was done making her wait.

Without hesitation, Josh replaced his finger with his length, and almost shattered right then and there when she gave a high-pitched moan of ecstasy.

Their rhythm was slow at first, but quickly sped up as their need for each other took control. As Anna got closer and closer to bliss, she wrapped her legs around him and urgently smashed her lips to his. He felt her breathing hasten against his mouth, turning into moans increasing in pitch and volume until she finally reached her peak. Her walls tightened around him as she tipped over the edge, the liquid heat that had pooled in her belly now spreading throughout her body all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes. She felt like she was soaring through a cloudless sky on a blazing summer day.

Josh thrust inside of her a few more times before he reached his release, groaning and collapsing on the mattress to avoid crushing her with his large body. He didn't even let a second pass before turning on his side and pulling her into him to stroke her damp, golden hair. He'd gone without her long enough—he needed her in his arms more than he needed air.

She was right where she belonged.

Once their breathing had gone back to normal, Josh began to leave soft, sweet kisses all over her face. Anna closed her eyes and smiled lazily, knowing she would never grow tired of his lips on her skin.

"I love you, Joshua," Anna breathed against his mouth as she kissed him affectionately. "This has been the most amazing night of my life."

"This is just the beginning, baby girl. We've got our entire lives ahead of us."

"I can't wait," She yawned, feeling so sated and content that she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Let's get some sleep," He murmured in her ear. "I'll be right here when you wake up. Forever and always."

_Forever and always_

Anna repeated the three words in her mind as she fell into a blissful sleep wrapped in her lover's arms.

***

Anna woke from a blissful dream to the morning sunlight streaming in through a crack in the curtains. But this time when she opened her eyes, it wasn't her plain white ceiling she saw. It was the most handsome man in the world smiling down at her, his hand smoothing back the hair on her face.

And this handsome man was hers.

Forever and always.

It was almost too good to be true.

Smiling, Anna lazily ran her nose along the bridge of his.

"Good morning," She breathed.

"Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?"

"Never better. How about you?"

"I didn't," He grinned, smoothing his hand down her naked back.

"Why not?"

"Too busy watching you and marveling at how perfect you are. The entire night your lips were curled up in the sweetest smile. I wanted to kiss you so bad, but I didn't want to wake you up."

"I was dreaming of you," She whispered, only inches away from his lips. "Kiss me."

Josh didn't miss a beat before brushing his lips against hers, then moving to kiss all around her face and neck.

"What should we do today?" He purred against her jawline

"I don't care, as long as you're with me."

Josh gave her another light kiss and pulled her to lie on top of him.

"You know, holding you in my arms all day sounds perfect to me."

"Me too," She murmured against his lips. This was her absolute favorite place to be.

For the rest of the day and into the night, Josh and Anna lied wrapped in each other's arms, talking, laughing and making love. Anna could hardly remember the time she spent without him, his unconditional love overriding the pain of the last month and filling her with hope and excitement for their future together.

It was a new year, a new beginning, and a new story with infinite blank pages.

And best of all, they had the pen in their hands.


End file.
